Lena opened the door and was surprised to find Alexander standing outside.
"You?" she exclaimed, her eyes scanning the area. "What are you doing here?"
He remained silent, his dark eyes seemingly darker in the night.
Lina stepped out, initially stunned to see him. However, she soon smiled and said, "You're the student Lena brought,
right? Is this your first time at an event like this? Have you eaten?"
Alexander was taken aback, unable to speak. He gazed at Lina, finding her exceptionally beautiful. He had always
thought his sister was the most beautiful person in the world, but now...
Then, he looked at Lena. Surprisingly, his sister was not any less beautiful. They had different types of beauty, but
both possessed kindness.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"Hey!" Lena waved her hand in front of his face. "What are you staring at?"
"Nothing..." He quickly looked down, feeling embarrassed. At his age, boys often felt ashamed. He realized he had
been rude and felt apologetic.
Lena pressed. "You haven't answered my question. Why are you here?"
"I..."
"This is the nursing room, can't you see that?"
Alexander panicked even more, nervously tugging at his shirt.
Lena instantly regretted her words. Perhaps a child who grew up in the mountains didn't know what a nursing room
was.
She remembered how the women in the mountains nursed their babies, with no privacy, reflecting a backward
society where women were seen merely as tools for bearing and feeding children.
Observing Alexander's discomfort, Lina stepped forward, gently patted his shoulder, and encouraged him to stand
tall. "You won't grow taller if you keep your head down all the time."
She smiled. "This is the nursing room. Mothers bring their babies here when they need to feed or change them. It's
spacious and private. Since it's a very personal space, you shouldn't interrupt them."
Alexander looked at her, surprised by her gentle explanation. It was the first time anyone had explained something
so kindly to him.
"In the future, you'll live in Centrolis. You'll go to school and live like the other kids here." Lina continued. "There's
much you'll need to learn to adapt to this environment. But I believe you're intelligent and will learn quickly."
"M-Me?" he stammered, hardly believing it. "I'm... intelligent?"
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm
"Of course," Lina reassured him. "Why else would Lena care so much about you?"
Alexander seemed to have something to say but remained speechless.
He didn't realize that this was encouragement. A child raised with love and encouragement would grow mentally
rich and have the courage to be fearless.
Meanwhile, Sephy on the bed was kicking and murmuring in her baby talk.
Lina hurriedly went over to comfort her with soothing words and pats on her back.
Alexander stared at Sephy as though she were a beautiful doll.
"Alright, stop staring," Lena intervened, blocking his view. "As she told you, mothers and babies rest in this nursing
room. You can't enter because you're a boy."
He pursed his lips and turned away silently.
"Wait," Lena called to him and stepped outside the room, closing the door gently.
"Do you need to talk to me, Ms. Lena?" he asked.